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LMS Is Much More for Corporations

Category: Learning Management Systemby Logan Smith

There’s a tendency to focus on the training aspects of a Learning Management System – and of course that’s its primary function – but it can have broader impact within your organization once you start to think about the ways in which tuition and related information is used. One excellent example is is the dreaded annual review.

I say “dreaded” because, let’s be honest, although they’re a necessary aspect of many businesses there can’t be many that look forward to them – either from the employee’s point of view or that of management. The main challenges for employers are two-fold. First there’s the time it takes to make the evaluation of an individual’s development over a twelve month period and secondly – perhaps more importantly – there’s the availability of relevant information. However capable they are, a manager’s memory is not the most accurate source once employee numbers get above a handful. What’s more – and this has been proven by psychological studies – more recent events have an unbalanced bearing on results if memory alone is relied on. If you think about it, that’s only natural. The larger the business, the wider the discrepancies. It’s no wonder those responsible feel burdened by the process and recipients often feel it’s an unfair reflection of their contribution over the year. While there’s no perfect answer, it’s immediately obvious that an LMS can make a tremendous difference. Managers then have an easy-to-use record of each person’s performance. They can see what goals were set and a series of results. Reporting offers numerous ways to monitor progress – a whole set of when, where and what that provides invaluable insight. What’s more, it takes away the pressure to “remember” and replaces it with facts. So management gets the information they need quicker and it’s more accurate too. Statistics aside, it gives the recipient a feeling that they are valued because a note has been made of their achievements. Positive aspects are reiterated. It just plain makes people feel good. If the review is less favorable, steps can be suggested that can help rectify the situation. Either way, there can be no doubt that a precise picture has been presented. There’s nothing vague or unconsidered. Everyone knows where they stand. The feedback gathered throughout the year, through various forms of training and assignment, is undoubtedly an accurate reflection of aspects of performance that have a direct impact on the individual’s productivity. It might be argued that this kind of reporting doesn’t tell you about “the person”. It can’t tell you how they are received among their peers. It can’t tell you about the smile they bring to work every morning…We would suggest in many way it does exactly that. A well instituted reporting system with a top class learning management system at its core will certainly be able to flag that energetic, motivated personality – to everyone’s advantage.